Matt Gurney: President Reagan’s best speech matters as much today as ever

Today, astronaut Mark Kelly is set to announce that he will fly board the space shuttle Endeavour in April, as the commander of what is scheduled to be Endeavour‘s final voyage into space. Kelly, a captain in the United States Navy, is also the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, victim of an attempted assassination that left her with severe injuries. Giffords, despite being shot in the head at point-blank range, has so far been recovering splendidly. I won’t speculate as to what factors influenced Kelly’s decision to fly. But for a space program that could badly use some good news, Kelly’s willingness to take on a difficult mission at a moment of personal crisis is inspiring. America needs such heroes.

Indeed, NASA’s heroes have been much in the news lately. Every year, NASA must experience a horrific four-day stretch. January 27th is the anniversary of the 1968 launchpad fire that killed the astronauts slated to fly the first manned mission of the Apollo program. Eighteen years and one day later, on Jan. 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challengerwas destroyed by a fuel leak during launch. And Feb. 1, 2003, saw the destruction of the Columbia due to hull damage during re-entry. A total of 17 dead astronauts must be remembered and mourned, all in under one week. Against this backdrop of sadness is the ongoing celebration of the life of president Ronald Reagan. His political legacy is contentious, and won’t be addressed here. But something fondly recalled by fans and conceded by foes is the fact that Reagan, no doubt helped by a long career in acting, was a master communicator. Oratory is an important weapon in any politician’s arsenal. But Reagan was better than most, a point I was reminded of several days ago when I watched his address to the nation in the aftermath of the loss of the Challenger and her crew.

Even today, his words are evocative, and as NASA struggles to find a role for itself in the face of a financially hobbled America, deeply meaningful. It’s been oft-said that America lost interest in space exploration because it became routine. Reagan’s words, below, remind us that even 25 years after the speech was given, we are still taking the first steps into the final frontier, pioneers building (with frustrating ambivalence) the foundation for future glory.

In the wake of a Grammy Awards ceremony that disappointed many, from Kanye West to the masses on Twitter lamenting the state of pop music, a historical perspective is key. Few are better poised to offer one than Andy Kim.